Today, one of my two roommates moved out without warning after we discovered that the rent hadn't been paid in full in a month, the utility bill hadn't been paid in two months, and the electric bill hadn't been paid in three months. We found out when the power was turned off. FML

I didn't really just "assume". We'd had a long conversation about who was going to be paying what bills, and we had an established system. I thought. She just sort of... didn't hold up her end, and then didn't tell me there was a problem.

My assumption was that one of the roommates was collecting the money but pocketed it instead of paying the bills. All three roommates actually "forgetting" to pay their bills just does not compute with me. I just can't fathom it lol
Then again, I've seen my share of idiots on here, so....
OP, follow-up?!

Ya, I think what happened was that the roommate that left was the one that collected the money from op and the other roommate, and then paid the bills each month. So op and the other roommate expected that the bills were being paid since they weren't getting their money back or anything. Sounds like the roommate was pocketing it the whole time! I'd be furious! Op, you should probably press charges seeing as it's probably a couple hundred bucks you were paying, that way the landlord knows it's not your fault completely and if the roommate ever comes around again, the police can try and get your money back. I wonder if this roommate has done this before to different people in different apartments?

I didn't really just "assume". We'd had a long conversation about who was going to be paying what bills, and we had an established system. I thought. She just sort of... didn't hold up her end, and then didn't tell me there was a problem.

Having your name on them is a double-edged sword, though. If one of the roommates fucks up and stops paying their share or moves out before the lease is up, you're short on the bills. Then if you get evicted or something has to go to collections, that shit goes on YOUR credit report.
I know putting bills in your name as a young adult is supposed to be good for your credit, but IMO there are better and safer ways to build it up.

Was someone hiding the bills or stealing your mail?
I'm trying to work out how you got into this situation to start with.
Surely you can't go three months without wondering why there have been no electricity bills.

Sometimes they are paperless. When I was roommating our cable, electric, and water bill all were paperless, so we didn't get mail for it. We trusted our roommate who was in charge of them (all 4 of us) and luckily he had roommates before who pulled the same shit OP's roommate did, so he avidly collected and updated us on bills

#10, you made the same comment below as #13 and you were downed for it there. And I pretty much made the same comment as #31 just said here and I was downed for it. Why are these people sooo wishy-washy on this site???